My Best Friend

Chapter 1

       It was supposed to be a night of laughs and dancing. Just a party. But when Luke's ex walked in with another guy, that's when I knew I fucked up.
       "Shit." I hissed to myself.
       I searched the room for Lucas, but there were too many people dancing on the floor  for me to see anyone clearly. Maybe he's in the kitchen getting a drink.
       When I push through the kitchen door, I find him immediately with his group of friends taking shots. I rush to him and tug on his shirt, gaining his attention.
       "Amelia!" He threw his arms across my shoulders and pulled me into his side. "Come to join?" He poured a shot and was handing it to me.
       I shake my head and lift up on my toes to whisper in his ear. "Lexi is here."
       His whole demeanor shifts. His smile falls. "What?"
       I shake my head sympathetically. "I'm so sorry. I should've made a restricted person list, I didn't think she would come to your party. I'm so sorry. I can kick them out."
       "Them?" He asks.
       Fuck me.
       I hesitate before confessing. "She brought another guy with her." I wince.
       He shuts down. He places the shot he was holding down on the counter and walks out of the kitchen.
       "What's going on?" Jake asks, one of mine and Luke's best friends, looking concerned.
       I shake my head. "Lexi came with another guy."
       Jake's eyes widen. "Shit. Already? They literally just broke up a week ago."
        I continue to shake my head. "I know. I'm gonna go find him."
       "Need me to come?" Jake asks.
       I shake my head and smile tightly. "It's fine, don't worry about it. It's my fault, I should fix it."
       Jake furrows his brows in confusion. "Amelia...just because you planned a party to get Luke's head out of the gutter over his breakup, doesn't make this your fault. You couldn't have known." He reassures me.
       I smile sadly. "Thanks Jake."
       I make my way out of the kitchen, searching for my best friend since kindergarten. No sight of him. I see Lexi and her new victim making out on the living room couch. Luke's couch. Probably the spot where Luke and her have kissed over a hundred times, and watched movies together, snuggling and laughing. I roll my eyes, restraining myself from kicking their asses out right then and there. But I had to find Lucas first. Make sure he's okay. He's probably upstairs in his room.
       After making it past the teens loitering the stairs, I take a right and walk down the hall to the door at the end. I knock softly on his bedroom door before letting myself in.
Luke's laying down on his bed, his hands behind his head, staring blankly at the ceiling. I tread lightly towards him before sitting beside him on his king size bed.
       I stare down at the ground in shame. "I'm so sorry Luke." I apologize guiltily, glancing up at him.
       He furrowed his brows and turned his head towards me, locking eye contact. "Why are you apologizing?"
       I sigh heavily. "I forced you into throwing this party, when I should've just let you heal instead of drinking your brains out. And I didn't even think about Lexi showing up and now everything is ruined." I growled in frustration.
       But Luke does the one thing I didn't expect him to. He smiles. Big. Then he sits up and scoots over beside me, throwing his right arm over my shoulders. "Nothing's ruined Amelia. It was just a little setback that's all."
       My lip trembles. I hate that he thinks he needs to hide his pain from me. He can't be this okay with it. With seeing Lexi sticking her tongue down someone else's throat in just a matter of days after their break up. In his own house no less. He's too amazing and sweet for even thinking about my feelings before his.
       His smile drops when a tear falls down my face. "Hey." He soothes. He wipes the tear off my cheek with his thumb. "What is it?"
       I shake my head, my lip still trembling. Then I let out a groan of frustration. "God, I'm supposed to be the one comforting you."
       Luke laughs, the laugh that makes my heart beat over a thousand beats per minute. Did I ever mention that I've been in love with Luke since kindergarten? No? Well there you go.
My face flushes at how close he is. I'm used to this. He's always invading my space and putting his arm around me. And yet, every single time, I get all flustered.
       "None of this was your fault okay?" He wears a serious face. "I promise." His eyes bore into mine. I can't look away.
       "Okay?" He says again.
       I nod slowly. "Okay." I breathe out. I can't help but look down at his lips. Merely inches from my own.
       "Good." Luke smiles and falls back onto the bed, his heat gone. I feel cold. Yet so hot from his proximity.
       I shudder in a breath before shaking myself back to the real world. "I'll go kick them out."
       His arms are crossed over his eyes as he says, "Who?"
       "Who do you think? Lexi and her crony." I stand up, marching to the door, but before I can even get it open, Luke slams it closed.
       "Let's not do that." He says.
       I turn around and nearly bump into his chest as his arm encases me, still holding the door closed. "Why not?"
       He stares at me in disbelief. "If I kick her out, she wins. All she wants is for me to show her just a pang of jealousy, Lia. And if I do..." he shakes his head. "Just leave them be. I'll tell Jake and the guys to kick everyone out at 1:00. That way, it won't be so suspicious." He explains.
       I groan and roll my eyes. I look at the alarm clock on his bedside table. It's 12:27. "Fine. But I swear if they're not out by 1:00 I'm gonna take the pleasure in kicking her ass out of here myself."
       Lucas grins from ear to ear. "I love you so much, Lia, you have no idea."
       My breath catches. I know he just means it as a friend, because he says it almost all the time, but I seem to go speechless every time he does.
       I catch my breath and smile. "I love you too, Lucas." But not in the way you think.
       He grabs my hand and leads me to the bed. "Let's get some rest, I'm exhausted." As if on cue, he yawns, making me yawn as well. "You told your mom you're sleeping over at Olivia's right?"
       I nod. "Yeah." My heart won't stop beating out of my chest. I love sleeping in the same bed as Luke. Even if it is totally platonic. We have sleepovers at least once a week. My favorite part of the week of course. His girlfriends were never huge fans of it, but I honestly don't give a fuck.
       He pulls back the covers and crawls in. He lays down, opening his arms to me as I crawl into his side. He pulls me against his chest, and I throw my arms over his torso.
       Luke reaches up to turn off the light, and then we're in complete darkness. I sigh happily. Wanting to be no place else in the world. This is my favorite place to be. In his arms.